Family Portrait
by 0000x0000
Summary: Five-year-old Erin Silver, finds herself in the middle of a hefty custody battle. Her parents yell and scream constantly, and slowly Erin begins to feel unsafe in her own home, until Kelly and David step in. Read & Review.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER **I don't own any of the Beverly Hills 90210 characters, storylines, etc. This is based off of Mel & Jackie's many split-ups, of which I own none.

**NOTES **Title is from Pink's song _Family Portrait, _thought it fit the theme of this story quite well.

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**Family Portrait**

Yelling from downstairs awoke the small girl from a pleasant sleep. Erin Silver, jumped slightly, when she heard someone slam the phone down on it's base. She knew this sound, because it seemed everyday, phone calls between her mother and father ended this way. Erin pulled her pillow over her head, hugging her favorite stuffed sock monkey, Lorenzo as tight as she could, shutting her eyes even tighter. If there was one sound she hated, it was arguing, and it seemed like no matter where she went, it was all she heard.

For the next few hours, the little girl, drifted in and out of sleep and eventually even more yelling awoke her, only this time, she heard her father's voice added to the mix. Tears fell from Erin's eyes and she shook under her pink quilt. When the shouting didn't subside, Erin rolled out of bed and tiptoed into her mother's room, dragging her monkey behind her, as she swiped at her falling tears. The tiny five year old, reached for the phone on Jackie's desk, and dialed a familiar number.

The phone rang for what seemed like an eternity to the child and finally a groggy, unimpressed voice greeted her on the other end. "Hello?" Said the voice irritatedly.

"Kelly!" Erin sobbed into the phone.

The voice of Kelly Taylor's baby sister thawed the annoyance in Kelly's voice, "Erin? What's wrong, sweetie?" She asked, sitting straight up in bed. Kelly was exhausted, but now wide awake as her heart raced, wondering what was going on.

Erin sobbed uncontrollably and tried to explain to Kelly, but finally Kelly cut her off. "Okay, baby slow down." She said softly. "What happened?"

The small girl, sniffled and wiped her eyes with the arm of her monkey. "M-mommy and daddy..." She started crying again, and Kelly was unable to make out words in Erin's sobs. "...and they're yelling a lot!"

Kelly grew angry at the thought of Mel and Jackie hashing it out at home with young Erin asleep upstairs. She cradled the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she rolled out of bed, turning on her bedside lamp, "Okay, sweetie, just go back to your room and I'll be there in a bit to come get you." She said as she walked to her closet, sliding out of her pyjama pants and slipping on a pair of jeans.

Erin nodded, even though Kelly couldn't see her. When Kelly didn't hear a response she held the phone with her hand, tight against her ear. "Erin?"

"Okay, can you please drive fast?" She asked shakily.

Kelly smiled sadly at her baby sister's innocence. "I will drive as fast as I can." She walked out of her room and grabbed her car keys, "I'm on my way. I love you."

Erin nodded again, speaking softly and dismally, "I love you too." She hung up the phone with both her thumbs, still clinging to Lorenzo. She jumped when she heard a vase smash against a wall followed by more yelling and shouting. Erin ran to her room crying intensely, and slammed the door behind her. She hurdled into her bed and crawled under the covers, sobbing into her pillow, praying Kelly would show up fast.

Kelly sped through Beverly Hills careful to remain within reason of the speed limits. She hated that Erin was being put through this, especially so many times over again. Kelly pulled into Jackie's driveway, nearly hitting Mel's car with her own, before she slammed on the brakes. She shut off the car, getting out and slamming the door. Kelly walked up to the porch and calmed herself down. She didn't want to end up shouting at Mel and Jackie, and upsetting Erin even more. When she felt ready, she opened the front door and her mouth gaped open at the scene before her; Jackie had her finger in Mel's face shouting at the top of her lungs, Mel shouting back just as loud, making wild hand gestures, denying everything that came out of his ex-wife's mouth. Kelly took note of the broken glass, on the floor and glared at the two supposed 'adults' in disbelief. She shut the door behind her and stepped in between the battle.

The yelling stopped all at once, and Mel and Jackie stared at the interruption. "Kelly?" They said in unison.

"What are you doing here?" Jackie asked cautiously. "Is everything okay?"

Kelly shook her head and scoffed at her mother. "Are you kidding me? At two o'clock in the morning I received a phone call from your sobbing daughter, telling me her mommy and daddy are yelling at each other." She glared back and forth between Mel and Jackie.

The two of them glanced up the stairs and back at each other, exchanging guilty looks. Mel hung his head, running his hand over his face, that had beads of sweat forming on it. Jackie closed her eyes briefly and finally spoke. "Kelly, I'm sorry she called you. I'll go talk to her." She turned to walk up the stairs, but her oldest daughter stepped in front of her.

"No."

"Excuse me?" Jackie said, stepping back in disbelief.

"No," Kelly repeated firmly. "I don't know what the hell is going on with you two, but you need to work it out on your own, not when your five-year-old daughter is upstairs!" She glared at her mother and pointed up the stairs. "I'm taking her back to my house, so she can calm down, and maybe get some sleep."

Jackie scoffed in annoyance, "You can't just take our daughter away in the middle of the night!"

"Mom, you and Mel are at each others throats. _She _called _me _in tears, begging me to hurry over here. So yes, I can take _my _baby sister to my house, where she can feel safe for the night."

Mel finally spoke. "Jackie, Kelly's right.."

Jackie turned her head around so far, that Kelly thought she might pull an _Exorcist. _"Oh so now you're worried about your daughter's well being? Because you certainly weren't when you skipped off to Cabo with your slutty dental assistant and left her with David!"

"Oh you just _had _to bring that up!" Mel retorted, and the argument started up once again, with more shouting and accusations. Kelly rolled her eyes and shook her head, as she turned around and walked up the stairs to little Erin's room. She smiled softly at the picture on Erin's door, of the backwards letters that spelled her little sister's name in Tickle-Me-Pink crayon.

Slowly, Kelly turned the door handle and stepped inside the dark room, the only light, coming from a butterfly night light, that matched Erin's quilt and furniture perfectly. It was truly, the perfect little girl room. Unfortunately, what sat curled up in a ball in the bed was far from perfect. Kelly frowned at the sight of a broken little girl, her innocent face stained with tears and flooded with new ones. She shut the door behind her and sat on the bed, gathering up the little girl into her arms. Almost instantly, Erin started sobbing again, clinging to her older sister. Kelly rocked Erin back and forth, holding her close as she kissed the top of her head, smoothing the thin blonde hair, that resembled her own. She pulled away from the embrace, studying Erin's features, her cerulean eyes overflowing with tears, the rims a shade of light red and dark circles forming underneath. Kelly tucked a strand of hair behind the small girl's ear and cupped her cheeks in her soft hands. "You're gonna come sleep at my house, okay?" She said softly.

Erin nodded slightly and frowned, sniffling quietly. Kelly offered a slight smile, "Does Lorenzo wanna come too?" She smiled more, watching as the little girl picked up the sock monkey, whispering into his ear, waiting for his silent approval. Erin looked at her older sister and nodded again. "He said 'yes.'" Her voice was raspy from crying.

Kelly kissed the top of Erin's head and stood up, putting an outfit for the next day into Erin's backpack and walked back over to the bed. She scooped up the five-year-old with her free arm and held her against her hip. Erin held on to Lorenzo with one hand and wrapped her other arm around Kelly's neck loosely. Kelly carried her baby sister down the stairs, walking right past the screaming adults unnoticed.

Kelly buckled Erin in the booster seat, she now always kept in the car and shut the door. She got in the driver's side, pulled out of the driveway and the two of them drove away into the darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Family Portrait  
Chapter Two**

David Silver rolled out of bed later that morning, and shuffled his feet across the carpet of his room. He opened the door and walked down the hallway yawning and stretching his arms.

"Hi David!" Erin said, as she sat at the kitchen counter eating a bowl of cereal.

Groggily, David waved at the girl and nodded. "Hey Erin." He opened the fridge and peered inside, before popping back up quickly and pivoting around on his heels, staring at his little sister. "Erin?" He shook his head, and closed his eyes tight, making sure he wasn't hallucinating. When he confirmed she was actually there, he said, "What are you doing here?"

"I sept o'er!" She said with a mouthful of Rice Krispies.

Kelly walked up behind Erin and smoothed her hair, tipping her head back gently so she was looking up at Kelly, "Don't talk with your mouth full, silly." She grinned. Erin swallowed her cereal and giggled, smiling up at her sister.

David, who's question was still unanswered, looked to Kelly this time, "What's she doing here?" He said, pointing towards Erin.

Kelly looked at Erin and said, "Sweetie why don't you go get dressed, your clothes are on my bed." She lifted her off the stool and placed her on the floor gently. The little girl nodded obediently and skipped off to Kelly's room.

Before Kelly explained, she made sure the door to her bedroom was shut. She turned towards David and leaned against the counter. "Mel and Jackie got into a huge fight last night, and Erin called me in hysterics at around two this morning." She sighed.

David frowned and rolled his eyes. "You gotta be kidding me."

"Nope." Kelly said flatly. "I couldn't believe it. They were in each others faces just screaming at each other. One of Jackie's vases was shattered on the ground by the wall. Erin was upstairs in her room shaking like a leaf, crying hysterically." She shook her head, still not fully believing what she'd witnessed last night. "This is getting out of control. I talked to Erin last night before she fell asleep here. She said they fight like that all the time. On the phone, in person. It's ridiculous."

"I'll say." David said, "What were they fighting about?"

Kelly shrugged. "Beats me, but whatever it was they were pretty passionate about it."

David folded his arms across his chest and sighed. "So what do we do?"

"Well," She sighed, "I say we talk to them, together. Figure out what's going on and try to get them to solve it..."

Erin bounded out of Kelly's room in a white t-shirt and and pink jumper, grinning from ear to ear. "Done!" She announced proudly, showing off her outfit. Kelly and David both smiled down at their baby sister then looked at each other.

Kelly turned to David and added "...and fast."

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Cindy Walsh opened the front door and smiled at the three Silver/Taylor kids. "Well hey guys!" Her eyes travelled down to Erin who was holding both David and Kelly's hands, perched on the porch. She smiled and bent down. "Hi Erin!"

"Hi Aunt Cindy!" Erin said, as Cindy pulled her in for a tight hug.

"How are you?"

"Goood." Erin giggled. "Where's Uncle Jim?"

Jim Walsh stepped out of the kitchen and placed his fists on his hips playfully, pretending to glare down at the giggling girl. "Who said you were allowed to come in my house?" He said, allowing a small smile to appear on his face.

Erin smiled and ran over to Jim, jumping up at him as he picked her up, placing her on his hip. "How are you princess?" He asked smiling at her.

Erin scrunched her nose, giggling again,"Good."

Cindy who was now standing, stepped aside so Kelly and David could come inside the house. She shut the door and turned around looking at them. "To what do we owe this surprise?" She asked smiling.

"Uh, we were wondering if you wouldn't mind watching Erin for a few hours?" Kelly asked hopefully. "I know it's extremely last minute, but.."

"Nonsense." Jim said cutting Kelly off, as he tickled Erin lightly.

"Yes, we'd love to have her." Cindy smiled. "She can entertain Brandon."

Jim grinned and leaned towards Erin, and lowered his voice. "Brandon's upstairs asleep. Go jump on him and wake him up."

The little girl giggled nodding, and Jim set her down on the floor. In a second she was off, up the stairs towards Brandon's room. She tiptoed down the hallway and turned the doorknob slowly, peaking inside at Brandon who was sprawled out in his bed, fast asleep. Erin covered her mouth as she giggled trying to stay quiet as she walked further into his room. "Brraaaandoonnn." She said softly. She climbed up onto his bed and stood up, "Wake up!" She giggled and jumped on his back.

Brandon woke up instantly as an "Ouufff" escaped his mouth. He turned around trying to see who was on his back, then when he saw it was Erin, he grinned and reached behind him and tickled her ribs. She squealed and laughed trying to wriggle away from him. "Who let you in the house?" He asked playfully.

"Aunt Cindy!" She giggled.

"Well, I am gonna have to have a word with Aunt Cindy!" He joked, rolling over as Erin climbed off of him.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Kelly and David explained to the Walshes what had happened the night before, and how they planned to go talk to Mel and Jackie later that day.

"Poor Erin.." Cindy said, frowning. "That must have been terrifying for her."

Kelly nodded. "Yeah, she was was pretty shaken up."

Jim put his around Cindy's shoulders and looked at Kelly and David. "Well she's welcome to stay as long as you need her to. Let us know if there's anything we can do about Jackie and Mel."

Cindy nodded in agreement. "Yes, we don't mind talking to them either. Granted the two of you know them better."

Kelly and David exchanged glances and nodded. "Thank you. We shouldn't be too long." David said hopefully.

"Take your time," said Jim.

Brandon came downstairs with Erin on his back, "Jeeze kid, I gotta stop offering you these rides. You're gettin' huge!"

"It's 'cause I'm five now!" Erin said matter-of-factually.

"Oh is that it?" Brandon grinned. "Look who I found, jumping around in my bed."

Everyone smiled at Brandon and Erin and Kelly stepped forward, picking Erin off of Brandon's back, setting her down on the ground. She knelt down and held Erin's shoulders gently. "David and I will be back later, okay? You be good!" She gave the little girl a hug and kissed the top of her head.

Erin nodded obediently and smiled. "I will."

David patted Erin's head and smiled at her. "See ya later kiddo."

Kelly and David, said goodbye to the Walshes and headed back out to Kelly's car. The two of them headed down to Jackie's house where they'd asked both Jackie and Mel to meet them there. When the got there, David and Kelly stood on the porch, and taking a deep breath they stepped inside the house. Once inside, they came across the same scene Kelly had seen the night before. Kelly and David exchanged already exhausted looks. This was going to be a long day.

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**Read & Review  
Chapter Three Coming Soon!**

**=]**


	3. Chapter 3

Three

After 10 minutes of solid yelling from Mel and Jackie, Kelly and David finally managed to get them seated in the kitchen ready to listen to what they had to say. They stood at the head of the table, glaring at Jackie then to Mel, who were in turn shooting dirty looks at each other.

Kelly finally broke the silence, an icy tone in her voice. "Okay. You're both probably wondering why David and I asked you to meet with us."

"Well, yeah, since you wouldn't tell me over the phone!" Jackie interrupted.

"Mom." Kelly glared at her mother and Jackie settled back into her chair. She regained her composure and spoke again. "We called you together, because we need to talk to you about Erin."

Again Jackie interrupted, this time with wide eyes. "Why? Is she alright? Where is she anyway? You just _had_ to take her to your house last night and now you can't find her.." Jackie continued rambling on and on, in a panicked parent frenzy. David thought back to when he had fallen asleep at the park and Erin went missing, how worried everyone was, finally he put up a hand and stopped the worried mother. "She's fine Jackie. She's at the Walshes."

Kelly shot a look at David. "No. No she's not fine." She looked at Mel and Jackie. "You guys don't get it do you? Your five year old, called me at two in the morning in te-"

"You're still upset about that?" Jackie said flustered. "You didn't _have _to come over here Kelly."

"No mom, I did have to come over here, you know why? Erin is terrified to be in this house when the two of you argue!"

This time Jackie didn't have anything to say back. She knew Kelly was right. With a sigh she looked over at Mel, but instantly remembered why she was angry with him and rolled her eyes. "Look Kelly, I'm sorry Erin's upset, but Mel and I have to work this out."

"What exactly are you working out?" David asked.

Mel spoke, this time, a certain annoyance in his voice. "Jackie wants sole custody. Meaning no custody for me. Not even weekends." He gave Jackie an evil look, before turning away.

David and Kelly exchanged confused and frustrated looks, before glancing at Jackie, who sat tall and proud, staring at a wall. Kelly sat down still trying to comprehend everything. "So let me get this straight. Erin wouldn't see Mel at all?" David asked cautiously.

"That's the idea." Jackie replied.

Kelly ran a hand over her face and looked up at her mother. "Mom, you can't do that to her." She gestured towards Mel. "She needs a father."

"Exactly what I've been trying to tell her for that past two months." Mel said through clenched teeth.

With that Jackie and Mel were at it again. Jackie stating why Erin shouldn't be with Mel and Mel shouting back just as loud as to why she should.

Kelly sighed defeated and looked over at David, "Two months?"

David nodded, as if he read her mind. "Erin probably knows by now.."

"Only one way to find out."

Kelly and Brandon stood in the threshold of the Walshes' living room, watching as Erin scribbled a picture of a giraffe in a coloring book.

"So all you have to do is, just get her to talk about Mel and Jackie, ya know see if she's heard anything, or if she knows going on." Kelly said in an almost whisper. "But don't make it too obvious, that kid is smart."

"Kel, I don't think that's necessa-"

Kelly cut him off. "Brandon please. We need to show Mel and Jackie just how much their constant bickering is affecting Erin. I mean if you could've seen her face last night you would wanna do the same thing, what if it were Brenda."

"Kelly!" Brandon said firmly. "I'm not doing this."

"Why not?"

Brandon reached around the living room doorway to the mantle and handed Kelly a stack of drawings. "This is why not."

Kelly sifted through the crayon world of stick people and a her mouth curled into a frown. The pictures showed a tall blonde stick figure in a dress, her mouth in an angry zig-zag, another stick person with shorts draw on, a zig-zag just as angry with a line through it. Another picture of a little blonde stick figure with circular tears falling from it's face. And another, showing the little stick figure with the tall blonde stick figure, and the other stick person in a new square shaped house again with a line through it.

"She drew these earlier." Brandon said softly. "She said, Mel's going away."

Sighing, Kelly put the pictures down on the mantle. "I don't see how Jackie can do this to her," she said leaning against the wall. "She's only five. I mean she needs Mel around.."

"So wait, he's actually going away?"

Kelly nodded. "Jackie's fighting for sole custody"

"Oh wow, that's awf-"

"Kelly?" Erin bounded out of the living room holding up another picture.

"Hey sweetie, what do you have there?"

"I made it for daddy." She said proudly.

"Ou,let's see." Kelly picked up the little girl and looked down at the picture. The writing was hardly legible to anyone over the age of six, "Very nice. Can you read it to me please?"

"It says, 'I will miss you daddy love Erin'," she said, dragging her finger underneath each word. To Kelly, it looked more like "i wull mizz u dady luv eRin." She smiled sadly and put Erin down. "I think he'll love it." Kelly said.

Jackie emerged from the kitchen with Cindy, who had come along to bring Erin home and apologize for the night before. "Who'll love what?" She asked Kelly.

Erin held up the picture for Mel proudly with two hands and Jackie, too picked Erin up looking at the picture with a heavy heart. She looked into her daughters sapphire eyes and smoothed her blonde hair. "Daddy will definitely love this." Jackie said with a nod. "But we're not going to give it to him."

"Why?" Erin and Kelly asked simultaneously. Kelly took a step forward, when she saw Erin's eyes fill with tears.

"Because, you're gonna get to see Daddy every other weekend."

Kelly stopped and tilted her head, staring at her mother. "What, but I thought.."

"So did I." Jackie said, then looked back at Erin. "But you were right, Kel, Erin needs a daddy. And she loves her daddy very much, don't you baby?"

Erin smiled and nodded. "Yeah."

"Yeah." Jackie said smiling. "And he loves you too." She paused. "And I love you too baby, and I am so sorry mommy and daddy scared you last night."

"It's okay." Erin said with a shrug, as she hopped down from Jackie's arms and she skipped back into the living room.

Jackie tilted her head and looked at Kelly. "What just happened?"

"Your daughter forgave you."

Brandon smiled and watched Erin skip by. "She's a tough kid, that one."

"Just like her sister." Jackie said with a smile, looking towards Kelly. "Thank you for last night, and for making me realize what a mistake I was making."

Kelly smiled softly. "I think Erin did that all on her own."

Cindy nodded and smiled. "It's amazing what kids can do, isn't it?"

The four of them stood in the doorway and watched as Erin drew stick figures resembling Kelly, David, Jackie, Mel, Brandon, Cindy and Jim. They all smiled and continued to watch as Erin completed _her_ family portrait.


End file.
